Visiting Hours

• Parents and legal guardians can visit patients 24 hours a day.
• Due to safety concerns and limited space, we ask that only two parents/guardians spend the night in a child’s room.

Other Visitors

• Visitors may visit between 10 am and 8 pm, seven days a week.
• All visitors under the age of 18 must have adult supervision at all times, and may not stay overnight.
• Please ask your child’s nurse about the visiting hours and rules on your child’s unit.

Visitor Identification Badges

• Children’s requires that all parents/visitors display the hospital provided identification badge while visiting patients at Children’s.
• This badge can be obtained when you first sign in at the Welcome Desk (1 ^st floor Main Atrium).

Visitor Guidelines

Children’s Child Life Specialists suggest the following guidelines for visiting your child during an inpatient stay in the hospital:

Infants (0-1 Year)
It is natural for this age group to feel distressed when parents are not present because they cannot understand that people and objects continue to exist when out of sight. In addition, changes of familiar routines and the differences between the home environment and the hospital can increase separation anxiety. To lessen your infant's separation anxiety, consider these tips:

• Visit as frequently as possible.
• Try to establish a regular visiting pattern to help build confidence that you will return.
• Bring favorite clothes and toys from home to provide familiarity and security during this stressful time.
• Play repetitive games with your child where people and objects appear and disappear, such as peek-a-boo. This will help your child accept the idea that what goes away can come back.
• Make an audiotape recording of parents or other family members singing a favorite song or reading a story, and leave it with your child when you cannot be there.

Toddlers (1-3 years)
Separation from parents can be a major concern for this age group. Because parents are seen as the toddlers' main source of protection, it is natural for separation to cause panic or distress, especially in the hospital where these fears are increased by new surroundings and people. Toddlers can easily become overwhelmed because although they are very aware of the separation, they cannot understand why it is necessary. To lessen separation anxiety in your hospitalized toddler, consider these tips:

• Visit as frequently as possible; overnight visits can be particularly important for this age.
• Try to establish a consistent pattern of returning. A regular pattern helps build confidence that you will return.
• Tell your child when you will be returning in relation to activities because children this age cannot understand the concept of time. So, for example, say "I will be back when you wake up from your nap", or "after you eat your lunch…"
• Read pop-up books, or play games like hide-and-seek to help your child learn that people and objects out of sight continue to exist.
• Leave immediately after announcing your departure. Prolonging your goodbye can cause your child to become more anxious about the separation.
• Avoid "sneaking out" to prevent your toddler from making a scene. Sneaking out only weakens your child's trust, making separation more difficult.

Preschoolers (4-6 years)
Separation and hospitalization are particularly stressful for this age group because they feel that their own actions are directly related to everything that goes on around them. Preschoolers will feel responsible for their hospitalization, viewing it as a form of punishment, and separation from parents often feels like abandonment. To lessen separation anxiety in your hospitalized preschooler, consider these tips:

• Visit as frequently as possible; overnight visits are still important for this age.
• Be as clear and predictable as possible regarding departure and time of return. A regular pattern helps build confidence that you will return.
• Tell your child when you will be returning in relation to activities because this age group still has a limited understanding of time. For example, "I will be back when you wake up from your nap", or "after you eat your lunch."
• Call to explain or leave a message when plans change.
• Avoid "sneaking-out” to prevent your preschooler from making a scene. Sneaking out will only weaken your child's trust, making separation more difficult in the future.

School-Age (7-13 years)
Although the school-age child is better equipped to handle separation, feelings of loneliness and homesickness are common in this age group. Hospitalization can increase these feelings, making separation from parents feel like abandonment. In addition, changes of familiar routines and the differences between the home and the hospital can increase separation anxiety. To decrease these feelings in your hospitalized school-age child, consider these tips:

• Visit as frequently as possible.
• Try to develop a consistent visiting pattern. A regular pattern helps build confidence that you will return.
• Call to explain or leave a message when plans change.
• Encourage sibling visitation after checking on unit policies with your nurse.
• Encourage your child to communicate his or her needs to the hospital staff. Doing so helps foster independence.
• Bring favorite clothes, photographs and other familiar objects from home. Familiarity helps reduce the stress of being in a strange place.
• Bring audio or videotapes of parents, other family members and friends to the hospital.
• Encourage contact with friends by telephone, letters or tapes.